commerce authority; trade offices

Added a new section creating the Board of Directors with specific roles for the Governor, Chief Executive Officer, and seventeen private sector business leaders.

Mandated that prospective board members appointed by the Governor submit fingerprints for criminal background checks.

Changed the reporting requirement for trade offices to include submitting objective research identifying potential office locations alongside activity reports.

Clarified the intent regarding fee limits, stating fees should not exceed one percent of the incentive amount.

Added a new requirement for the authority to compile and submit an annual data report to the governor, legislature, and secretary of state by December 31.

Added a new requirement for cities, towns, and counties to submit specific economic development statistics (such as permit processing times) to the authority by September 30.

Added a mandatory requirement that employers seeking economic incentives must register with and participate in the E-Verify program.

Added new powers for the authority to assess business fees for promotional services related to exports and to use state monies for matching contributions in federal programs.

Added a new provision allowing the authority to lease or purchase motor vehicles for employees without adhering to standard state fleet rules.

Added explicit exemptions from various state laws regarding employment regulations, accounting practices, IT systems, and government competition with private enterprise.

Reorganized the text from a draft format to a formal engrossed version with corrected capitalization, punctuation, and section numbering.